Trudeau says new cabinet to be sworn in on Nov. 20, vows to work with opposition

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses the media during a press conference at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019. (Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he will unveil his new cabinet on Nov. 20 and is vowing to work with opposition parties — his first public comments since election night, when voters handed the Liberals a minority mandate.

However, Trudeau says he has no plans to establish any sort of formal coalition.

He is promising to make his cabinet gender-balanced, just as it was in 2015 when he first assumed office.

Trudeau is also vowing to find a way to ensure that Alberta and Saskatchewan have a voice in cabinet after the Liberals didn’t earn a seat in either province.

He says he has already spoken with Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, as well as other western politicians like Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi, to get the region’s issues in front of the government and bridge any political divides.

Trudeau is also vowing to forge ahead with the Trans Mountain pipeline project, saying that it is in the national interest — even if it is opposed by New Democrat and Green MPs, whose support he is going to need to implement the government’s agenda.

Reflecting on Monday’s vote, Trudeau says Canadians gave him a lot to think about, and that he will take the time necessary to reflect on how to work with the other parties.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has put the onus on Trudeau to work with the provinces and opposition parties over the coming months, while NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has said he wants Trudeau to address his party’s key priorities in exchange for New Democrat support.

Trudeau says Canadians have sent a clear message to the House of Commons that they want new MPs to work together in Parliament to address climate change and the cost of living.

The prime minister says one of his re-elected government’s first acts will be to introduce a bill to reduce taxes for the middle class, which the Liberals promised in their election platform.